Unlike Travis, he was fully dressed, so I was safe.
“Hi,” I began.
But Shepley leaned, and soon, we were falling into the pool like a toppling pillar.
“Shepley!” I shrieked as we hit the surface of the water before going under.
He popped up and pulled me with him, cradling me in his arms. He shook his head and smiled.
“You’re nuts!” I said.
“It wasn’t planned, but it’s over a hundred fucking degrees outside. I’m baking,” Shepley said.
The little shits from the next building over splashed us once, but after just one frown from Travis, they were scrambling to get out of the pool.
I planted a kiss on Shepley’s lips, tasting the chlorine on his mouth. “Have you thought about the road trip?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I checked the weather. They’re supposed to have some gnarly stuff coming in.”
I frowned. “Really? I grew up in Tornado Alley. You think I give two shits about the weather?”
“What if it hails? The Charger …”
“Okay, we’ll take the Honda.”
“To Wichita?” His nose wrinkled.
“She can make it! She’s made it before!” I said, defensive.
Shepley dragged his legs through the water to the side, and then he lifted me to the concrete. He wiped water from his face and squinted up at me. “You want to drive the Honda to your parents’, this weekend, with storms coming. What’s so urgent?”
“Nothing. I just thought it would be nice to get away.”
“Just the two of you. A special road trip,” Abby said.
When Shepley turned to look at her, I shot my best friend a warning glare. Her stoic expression didn’t give anything away, but I still wanted to dunk her.
He traded glances with Travis and then turned back to face me, confusion scrolling across his face. “It’ll give us time to talk, I guess. We’ve been busy. That’ll be nice.”
“Exactly,” I said.
Once I spoke those words, something lit in Shepley’s eyes, and a million thoughts seemed to flip behind his eyes.
Whatever was bothering him, he shook it off and pushed himself up, pecking my lips. “If that’s what you want, I’ll ask off.”
“It’s what I want.”
He climbed out of the pool, his white T-shirt translucent, his jeans sopping wet, his sneakers squishing with each step. “I’ll go in and make the call. But we’ll take the Charger. It might be twenty-five years older, but it’s more dependable.”
“Thanks, baby,” I said, smiling, as he walked away. Once he was out of earshot, I turned to Abby, all emotion gone from my face. “You’re an asshole.”
Abby cackled.
Travis looked from Abby to me and back again. “What? What’s so funny?”
Abby shook her head. “I’ll tell you later.”
“No, you won’t!” I said, kicking water at her.
With his hand, Travis squeegeed droplets of water off his face, and then he kissed Abby’s temple. She left him, swimming to the side of the pool and climbing up the ladder. She took her towel off the lounger and dried off. Travis watched her like it was the first time he’d ever set eyes on her.
“I’m surprised you’re not pregnant yet,” I said.
Abby froze.
Travis frowned. “C’mon, Mare! Don’t say the P word. You’ll freak her out!”
“Why? Has it been on the table?” I asked my friend.
“A few times,” Abby said, looking pointedly at Travis. “He thinks I’m going to stop my birth control the moment we graduate.”
My eyebrows pushed up. “Are you?”
“No,” she said quickly. “Not until we buy a house.”
Travis’s expression intensified. “We have an extra bedroom.”
“Thanks, Mare,” Abby grumbled, bending over to rub the towel over her legs.
“Sorry,” I said. “I’m going in. We have a road trip to plan.”
“Hey. If you go, be careful. Shep’s right. The weather is supposed to be bad. Maybe you should wait until the storm season is over.”
“If we don’t go now, we’ll get busy. Once classes start, it will be too late. We’ll have to wait until a break.” I looked to the ground. “The way he’s been acting, I don’t know if he’ll be patient much longer.”
“He’ll wait forever, Mare,” Abby said.
“Too late for what?” Travis asked, climbing out of the pool. “What’s he waiting on?”
“Nothing.” I shot Abby a warning glare before gathering my things and pushing out of the gate. I closed it behind me, keeping my hand on the hot metal. “Keep your mouth shut. You might be his wife, but you were my friend first.”
“Okay, okay,” Abby said, cowering under my stare.
Shepley
“Thanks, Janice. I appreciate it.” I tapped the red button and set the phone on the bed.
Janice had loved me since the moment I stepped into her office for the interview. What had started out as a gopher job had turned into administrative work, and then I’d somehow ended up in the wealth management department. Janice was hoping I’d stay on after I graduated college, promising me promotions and opportunities galore, but my heart wasn’t in it.
I stared at the almost empty drawer of my nightstand. That’s where my heart is.